


Only a Page

by solangeloismyotp



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Dimension, Dead Parent, F/F, Magic, Mystery, Original Character(s), Original work - Freeform, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22982380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solangeloismyotp/pseuds/solangeloismyotp
Summary: On a seemingly normal day, Carmen suddenly has to deal with a strange man showing up at the door to her apartment.  Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal.  But he pulls her and her best friend, Bella, into a strange and exciting world.  This new place is full of danger and wonder, excitement and death.  But Carmen is also a teenage girl, so she’s more worried about two maybe-crushes and homework that dying in a magical realm because of a stupid book.But hey, it’s not every day you learn magic is real, right?~Updates are every other Friday!
Relationships: None for now, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added





	1. Prologue

A man strode down the middle of a packed street, his long, dark cloak dragging across the ground. Somehow, the cloak did not attract a single speck of dust. The hot noontime sun beat down on the parched road around him. The only people safe from the heat were those in the shade. The crowd parted for him as if instructed to do so. He hurried as if he was late for something very important, which he was. 

He jostled through the mid-day crowds, pedestrians grumbling as he shoved them aside. His destination appeared to be an unassuming little shack on the side of the road, made entirely of half-rotten wooden planks. He reached the house and opened the door, which creaked on rusted hinges as he pushed it open. He stooped as he entered. 

Inside, books teetered in tall, seemingly random stacks. Candles sat on some of those, many lit, a few not. The air smelled of incense and candle smoke. 

The man wove his way to the back wall. He stopped in front of the only set of bookshelves in the entire house. He grabbed hold of the edge of the far left shelf and pulled. It swung open like a door, revealing a set of stone stairs leading down past where the light reached. 

He stepped inside, swinging the bookshelf closed behind him, plunging him into darkness. Despite the fact that there was no way he could see, he headed confidently down the steps. When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he pushed open another door and ducked through the doorway. 

This room was the same size and shape as the hut above, but the walls were stone instead of wood. Niches were carved into the walls, which held flickering candles that lit up the space. In the very center of the room there was a large wooden table with six chairs spaced evenly around it. The man made his way to the only empty one. A blonde man who was sitting at the head of the table glared at the man who had just entered as he came in. The blond man was the sort who just seemed like a natural leader. As the new man sat down, the man at the head of the table began to talk. 

“Ah, Rhondus. Glad you decided to grace us with your presence tonight.” 

Rhondus replied, “I had some complications. Now, what were we talking about, Antonio?” 

Antonio did not seem happy about the change of subject, but continued talking anyways. “There had been no true sign of Xavion since the New York attack, but we have caught wind of a rumor he’s somewhere in Linkoping.” 

Another man spoke up. “So you’re reassigning us?” He asked, eyes glimmering with hope. 

“No, Ivern. They don’t think we’re ready.” Ivern huffed. “But we’re going to be staying on high alert, in case he decides to move into our jurisdiction when they come after him.” 

A whisper floats from the fair haired girl sitting on Rhondus’s left. She looks like the kind of person who picks fights for fun. “If he’s even there at all.” 

“Darcy, watch your mouth,” cautioned Antonio. “We don’t need morale down, not now.” 

“Yeah, right,” she said sarcastically. 

“Darcy! That’s enough.” Darcy huffed, but stayed silent. “Stay alert and report anything suspicious to me. This meeting’s over.” 

Antonio grabbed his bag and stormed away. Silence held the room for only a few seconds before Darcy spoke. 

“Well, that took forever.” 

Ivern glared at her. “Didn’t you hear Antonio? He said we’re not ready.” 

“Whatever.” She turned to the woman next to her. “C’mon, Chia. Let’s go.” Chia grabbed the books she had brought, then they left together. The last girl, Rena, only glanced at Rhondus and Ivern as she left. 

The room was nearly empty. Only Ivern and Rhondus remained. “That was an entertaining meeting,” Ivern remarked. “We should go.” 

“Yeah.” They left the room together, wondering if anything interesting would happen.


	2. Chapter 1

“I don’t want to go, Mom! There’s nothing for me to do!” I try to keep my voice down for the sake of our neighbors, but this is the last straw. I always get dragged to my sister, Yara’s, play group, but I’m 14 now. I should be old enough to stay home by myself, right?

“For the last time, Carmen, go wake your sister up. We need to leave in ten minutes.”

“Fine.” I storm off to Yara’s room and yank open her shades, wincing at the bright yellow of her walls. “Morning, sleepyhead. Mom says to get up already.”

Yara yawns. “Turn the sun off. Too bright.” She rolls over and shoves her head into her pillow.

“Sorry, can’t. Now get up. You’re leaving in ten minutes. Mom said so.”

At that, Yara sat up in shock. “You’re not coming with? But you always come! And how’re you going to get lunch?”

“I can make my own lunch, Yara. I’m fourteen now.” Honestly! My birthday was last month, and she still can’t remember?

“Did Mom say you could stay home?” Before I could respond (and probably lie), I heard my mom’s voice drifting down the hall.

“Yara! Carmen! Get over here! We need to leave!”

I sigh. “You’d better get dressed.”

Yara groans again, but sits up. Taking that as a sign she’s going to get dressed, I leave.

When I enter the kitchen, my mom is frantically setting out bowls and cereal. I pour myself some, then sit down.

“Is Yara up?” I nod. “Good. Now eat. I need to find my keys.” She walks quickly off as Yara enters the kitchen.

Yara’s a complete mess. Her hair looks like she was purposely tying knots in it. She’s wearing black shorts and her favorite yellow tee. And when I say favorite, I mean most stained.

“Hey! Are you eating my cereal? You can’t do that!” she accuses me.

“It’s not yours,” I mumble through a mouthful.

“Is too! Mom bought it just for me! Give it!” She tries to grab my bowl, but I hold it far above her head (the advantages of being the older sibling). “Not fair,” she exclaims.

“Is too fair. Now eat. You’ve got like two minutes before you leave, so hurry up.”

My mom walks back into the kitchen, keys dangling from her fingers. “Hurry up, you two,” she huffs. “We should’ve left a minute ago.” Then she sees Yara. “Honey, could you maybe put on a different shirt? That one doesn't look so nice anymore.”

“But it’s my favorite!”

“Please?”

“Fine.” She stomps off to her room.

“And don’t forget to brush your hair!” A groan is heard from Yara’s general direction.

My mom turns to look to me. “And are you ready to go, young lady?”

“I’m not going,” I state firmly.

“Oh, and why is that?”

“I’m fourteen now. I can make myself lunch and take care of myself for a few hours. I’ll even do homework while you’re gone. I’m too old to be dragged to my little sister’s play group.”

“Fine, stay home. Do your homework. .” She turned to see Yara coming out of her room down the hall. “C’mon, Yara! We’re leaving!” I celebrate this small victory. Maybe soon she’ll allow me to go to the store or even downtown by myself too!


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious man shows up at Carmen’s doorstep. What could he possibly want? And why did Carmen’s mom act so strangely when Carmen told her his name?

I start heating up some leftovers from dinner last night for my lunch when I hear a knock at the door.

“Wrong one,” I call. People get mixed up in our apartment building all the time. Everything looks the same.

Whoever it is knocks again. I repeat myself, louder this time. Maybe they didn’t hear me.

When they knock a third time, I sigh and trudge toward the door. Clearly they weren't getting the message. I open the door without looking to see who’s on the other side.

“You’ve got the wrong-”

“No, I’m pretty sure I have the right apartment. Carmen, right?” Who is this man? More importantly, how does he know my name? He is tall, with short brown hair. Maybe he's one of my mother's friends? He smiles. “Thought so. Is your mother home?”

I shake my head. I’m still in shock a bit. It's not normal for us to have a stranger right outside our apartment. I mean, I know all of my mother's friends. We don't often get solicitors here either, because we live in an apartment building. How did he even get in here?

The man smiles a bit at me. “Do you know when she will be?”

“S-soon,” I manage to say.

“Thank you.” Then he seems to have an epiphany. “Sorry, I don’t think I told you my name.” 

Why would this man’s name matter? He already seems to know everything about me and my family. He’s probably a stalker. But wouldn’t a stalker know when my mom’s home? Who knows, certainly not me. I’ve never stalked anyone. 

“I’m Charles. I’m a friend of your father's.”

My father? I never knew him. 

“I… think I’ll go now.” Charles closes the door slowly.

I stand there in shock. I don't really think of my dad that much. He died a little bit after Yara was born, so I don't remember much about him. I mostly see him through the few pictures my mom kept of him.

From the kitchen, a loud beeping suddenly interrupts my train of thought. It’s the microwave, alerting me to the fact that it's done heating up my pizza. I head over to it and pull open the door. Silence fills the room. I need to stop thinking about Charles and my dad so much. My homework still needs to be finished and my lunch still needs to be eaten, so I settle in and begin working.

********************

I am part way through my homework when I am distracted by a noise at the front door. My mind immediately jumps to Charles. What if he’s back? As the door creaks open, I see it’s just my mom and Yara, back from play group. I’m temporarily relieved, but then I remember I have to tell my mom about him.

Speaking of my Mom, she bustles into the living room, shedding her jacket, purse, and shoes as she goes. “How did it go, Carmen?”

“Good.” But before I can tell her about Charles, Yara interrupts.

“I had the best play group ever!” I smile. She’s always in a good mood after play group. Come to think of it, they both are. Probably because they get to spend time with people their own age. Not me, though. I'm the only person my age who still has to go.

Yara continues. “We we fairies and there was a huge castle and we had to defend it from the monsters and-“

“Yara, why don’t you show you sister what you made her?” My mom cuts her off.

“Oh, yeah,” she says, before scampering off to get whatever she made.

I see the chance to tell my mom, but before I can say anything,Yara calls from the hall. 

“Mom? I can’t find the thing I made for Carmen.”

She comes back to reality to respond. “It’s in the side pocket of my purse, Yara. And don’t talk so loud. You’ll bother the neighbors.”

“Sorry,” she calls back, even louder.

Yara bounces back into the room, holding one hand behind her back, presumably holding whatever she made for me.

“I found it!" she exclaims.

“I can tell,” I say.

“Guess what it is.” How could I guess what it is? It could be almost anything. I just want to get this over as quickly as possible so I can see if my mom'll tell me anything. But my mom gives me a look, so I try to play along.

“A...drawing?”

"In a way.” She gives me a sly smile.

“A painting?” It’s the only thing like a drawing I can think of.

“No..”

“I give up.”

“Fine.” She pulls her hand out from behind her back. She’s holding a small, paperback journal. On the outside seems to be a drawing of her and me made with crayon. She presents it to me with a nervous smile.

I take it from her and page through it. It seems to be made of scraps of paper glued together, but it looks neat from the outside. She must've spent a long time on it.

“Thanks, Yara. I love it,” I say, inspecting the paper. It was ok, for a nine-year-old.

“So how's your homework going, honey?” My mom asks, heading into the kitchen. I follow her.

“Good. I've just got some math left,” I reply. Yara opens a cupboard, probably hunting for a snack even though she just had one.

“Anything I can help you with?” My mom asks, starting to wash plates left in the sink.

“Not unless you know trigonometry."

Yara brushes past me on her way to her room with an armful of fruit snacks.

"Yara, put those back! You just ate," my mom reprimands.

Yara sighs and heads back into the kitchen to empty her arms.

"Sorry, Carmen. What did you say?"

“Nothing,” I sigh. My mom seems pretty fed up.

I'm about to return to my math homework when I remember. 

“Hey Mom, while you guys were at playgroup, someone stopped by.”

She doesn't even look up from scrubbing a pan. "Oh? Who?"

"I didn't know him, but he seemed to know us."

"What was his name?"

"It was like Charles or something."

She stops scrubbing the pan for a moment, then responds. "What did he say?"

She obviously knows him. What should I say? That he was creepy and knew my name? That he's coming back sometime today?

"He was looking for you. He said he would come back later."

"Did he say when?"

"No."

A knock sounds at our door. My mom glances over at me before answering it.

"Hello? Who are you?" The door is blocking whoever it is, but I think I know who it is.

"Hello, Brook. I'm Charles Schuster.” I was right. It is him.

"C-come in." What is it about this man that makes people nervous? First me, now my Mom.

Charles joins me in the living room. My mom trails after him. "You have a lovely home."

"Thanks."

"But now down to business. I'm here to talk to you about your daughter. Specifically, her future." My future? All I know is that I'm going to go to Henry Sibley High School here in Minneapolis, and after that? I have no idea. 

"My," he pauses, thinking,” company would like to give her a tour of the place. Make sure she sees working for us as a potential option for the future."

My mom relaxes infinitesimally. "How long will this take?"

"Not long. We can fly her out tonight, if you are willing. Then a day to show her around, and we'll fly her back the next morning."

My mom appears to debate it internally. "Where would she be going? I'm her mother. I have a right to know."

"I never said you didn't. Our headquarters are in Boston."

"But I can't just go to Boston! I have a job, friends! And she can't go by herself! She's 14, for goodness sake!"

She really must be getting angry. It's a miracle Yara hasn't noticed and come out of her room yet. Somehow, Charles remains calm.

"I will be accompanying her on this trip. If there is anyone else who you would consider appropriate to accompany her, I will allow it."

"Do I even have a choice in the matter?" My mom asks skeptically.

"Afraid not," Charles says, and it's the first time I detect something like cheerfulness in his voice.

"When will she be leaving?" My mom sounds resigned.

"How does seven sound?"

My mom sighs. She turns to face me. "Might as well pack your bags, Carmen. Seems you're leaving in an hour."


	4. Chapter 3

Why do I have to do this? I don't even want to go. I head to my room to pack. While I drag my suitcase down from the rack in my closet, I wonder what Boston is like. I've never even been out of the state before, and now I'm going halfway across the country!

What will the weather be like in Boston? I have no clue. I shove in a mess of long and short sleeve shirts. Shorts? Pants? Who knows. Not me. I've never been there. I throw in a mixture again. 

I know I'm overthinking this, but I can't stop. I finish packing as fast as I can while minimizing the risk of forgetting anything crucial. It's at that point that I realize that I still have half an hour left. I decide to head down to my friend’s apartment.

When I get there, I knock on the door. Bella, my friend, answers. Her smile almost makes me forget about Charles and leaving for Boston in a half hour, but not quite. After all, I did come here partially to vent to her.

Bella and I have been friends for a long time. We met in first grade, and have been getting along great ever since. We grew up liking the same books, movies, TV, everything. I was incredibly happy when her family moved in a couple doors down from me in my apartment building a couple years ago.

“What’s wrong,” Bella asks as she invites me in.

“Oh, nothing.” I cross the threshold and head to Bella’s room. She follows me.

“No, seriously. I can see something’s wrong. What is it?”

I sigh as I flop down onto her bed. 

“My mom’s making me go on a job trip.”

“Job trip?” She sits down next to me. “What’s that?”

“One of my dad's old coworkers, apparently. He just randomly showed up, and now I’m leaving in a half hour.”

“Hold on, wait. A half hour? And you just met this guy, what, tonight? That doesn’t seem at all stalkerish to you?”

“I know! My mom didn’t like it either, at first. But he talked to her alone for about an hour, so she must see something worthwhile in this whole endeavor.”

“I need a snack.” Bella gets up at begins to leave the room, turning around at the doorway. “Want anything?”

“Any candy you got. I’ve still got room in my suitcase,” I say, only half-joking.

She laughs. “One huge bag of candy, coming right up!”

Left alone, my mind begins to drift towards my trip. Thankfully, I am not left alone for long.

“Carmen!” I flinch in response, covering my ears. As I brace for impact, I wonder to myself why I thought I could go to Bella’s house uninterrupted.

Two kids barrel into me, knocking me onto the bed. Even as I push them off, they are laughing.

“How are you guys?” I ask. These troublemakers are Damien and Samson, Bella’s younger twin brothers, and they are small, blond, and very devious.

“We’re gonna go to a museum tomorrow!” Sampson adores museums. He wants to be an archiver for one when he grows up. He’s even made his own collection of items he finds of the ground, to his mom’s dismay.

“Yeah! And I’m gonna see all the dinosaurs!” Damien adds.

“Sounds like fun!”

“What’s going on here?” Bella stands in the doorway, a plastic bag hanging off her arm.

“We’re talking about the museum!” Sampson shouts.

“Shh! You’ll bother the neighbors! Now, get outta here. Carmen and I are talking.”

“But we just got here,” the twins complain.

“Now. I don’t wanna have to tell mom.”

They leave, shutting the door behind them.

“Ugh. Siblings are so annoying, right?” Bella sits on the bed.

“Yeah. Yara’s play group was today, and it took her forever to get ready.”

“The twins weaseled their way into staying up an extra hour last night and hogged my TV time.”

“Oh! That reminds me!”

“What?”

“My mom let me stay home from play group today!”

“Congratulations! We’re now one step closer to defeating the reign of the younger siblings!” Bella joked.

“That was actually how I met Charles….”

“Who’s Charles?”

“I didn’t tell you?”

Bella shakes her head.

“He’s the creepy stranger who worked with my dad.”

“Oh, so he has a name? Did you get a last name?”

“Schuster. Why? You gonna look him up?”

“That’s exactly what I’m gonna do.” Bella gets up and heads to her computer. It’s only a minute before she has it turned on and ready to go. Seconds later, we’re scrolling the web.

“So what’s he look like?” Bella says, pulling up the first site. It’s Facebook, a compilation of everyone named Charles Schuster.

“Tall, dark hair, bit of a beard.”

Ten minutes and various sites later, we still haven’t found anything even close to a match.

A knock comes from Bella’s apartment door.

“I better get that.” Bella leaves to get the door, leaving me alone again.

A second later, two curious heads poke into the room, staring at me with inquisitive eyes.

“Come on in,” I say to them.

They bound in. They tackle me for the second time today, only this time I don’t have the luxury of a bed to fall onto.

“Hey! I didn’t say you could tackle me!”

“But we wanted to,” complains Sampson.

Bella has appeared at the door.

“You’re mom’s here. It’s time to go.”

I sigh. But there’s no use putting it off. I gently move the twins off of me and head out.

Bella follows me to the door, where my mom’s waiting.

“Let’s go,” she tells me.

“Bye,” I tell Bella. “See you in a few days.”

“Can we just leave already? Charles will be here soon and I want to check your suitcase before we go.”

“See you soon,” Bella replies.

I trudge back to our apartment. My mom approves my suitcase, though she barely resists the urge to tidy it all. She doesn’t say much until we’re sitting on the couch waiting for Charles.

“I think you need to cheer up.”

“Mom!”

“Come on, it’ll be an adventure!”

“I don’t think so.”

She grabs my arm. “Hey. It’s only for two days, and you need to start thinking about your future anyways. It’ll be good for you.”

Then the door bursts open. “I’m here! Sorry it took so long!”

It’s Bella, and she’s lugging a suitcase behind her. My mom jumps up and grabs the suitcase from her.

“Bella? What’re you doing here?”

“Your mom invited me! She didn’t want you going alone, so she asked my to join you. And my mom said yes so,” she shrugs “here I am!”

I turn to my mom accusingly.

“Sorry!” She says. “I was going to tell you!”

“When?”

“Right before she knocked on the door.”

“Oh.” I still wish she would have told me sooner, like maybe when we were at her house, but I’m too happy to care that much right now. Bella’s coming with! I won’t be alone after all.

A knock sounds on the door for the second time tonight.

“It must be Charles! I’ll get it.” My mom rushes to the door and opens it. She had guessed correctly. Charles was standing on the other side, and in he came.

“This is Bella, Carmen’s friend that’ll be coming with her. Bella, this is Charles.” The two exchange polite hellos.

“Well, we better get going. We’ve got to get to the airport.” Charles says.

“See you in two days.” My mom hugs Bella and me. Charles grabs our bags, and just like that we’re off.

The car ride to the airport is tense and mostly silent. Charles tries to start a conversation a few times, but he could be talking to himself for all the response he gets. I’m too busy still trying to comprehend the fact that I’m going to be leaving the state for the first time.

When we arrive at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, Charles guides me through security. Bella and I spend our excess time wondering to each other what Boston will be like, while Charles is mostly on his phone. He does chime in sometimes, though.


End file.
